Rather worryingly they could also do the reverse - and hasten the demise of the unfortunate rodents.

The hypothalamus highlighted in the centre of the brain

Dongsheng Cai, one of the researchers on the project published in the Nature journal, said: "Scientists have long wondered whether aging occurs independently in the body's various tissues or if it could be actively regulated by an organ in the body.

"It's clear from our study that many aspects of ageing are controlled by the hypothalamus.

"What's exciting is that it's possible - at least in mice - to alter signaling within the hypothalamus to slow down the aging process and increase longevity."

The hypothalamus is an almond-sized part of the brain that has long been known to control a variety of important bodily functions by secreting hormones.

These include regulation of temperature , sleep and feelings of thirst and tiredness.

Scientists found that by deactivating a molecule found in the hypothalamus called NF-kB mice lived longer and showed delayed signs of ageing.